Exercising device



' Sept. 25, 1934, v w. c SANFORD I 20 EXERCI SING DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1933 HIJTIYIIHLIIIIIHI) I Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES EXERCISING DEVICE William C. Sanford, La Oroya, Peru Application October 17,

6 Claims.

The invention relates to a novel exercising device to be employed in simulation of the swinging of an ax, sledge or similar tool and comprises a helve-like member having a shaft journaled on the end remote from the grip portion with a stop for limiting the rotary movement of the shaft and a lever having a weighted end mounted on and extending transversely of the shaft and preferably adjustable transversely to vary the distance of the weight from the axis of the shaft, the shaft preferably constituting the actuating element of an integrating ratchet counter, which will register the number of strokes made with the device with sufficient energy to cause the weighted lever to operate the shaft.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the body portion of the device, which, as shown, is a helvelike member having the general form of a handle of an ax or similar tool, provided at one end with a grip portion, so that, when it is grasped by the hands and swung in the manner and form of using an ax, the user will experience substantially all of the elements of a beneficial exercise incident to chopping with an ax or swinging a sledge or similar implement.

Mounted in a transverse recess 2 near the end of the member remote from the grip is a shaft 6, which is preferably the operating shaft of a ratchet operated integrating meter 3 of standard type, which is secured to the member 1 by flanges 4 and screws 5, as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The shaft 6 carries a member 7 having radial lugs 9 thereon operating in slots 10 formed in the rim 8 on one end of the casing, the end walls of the slots 10 constituting stops to limit the rotation of the shaft 6 in both directions.

Secured to the outer end of the shaft 6 is a block in the form of a clamp 11, which is locked in position on the shaft by a set screw 12, said clamping block having a transverse screw threaded opening therein in which is engaged a weighted lever arm in the form of a threaded rod 13 having an enlarged head 14 on its outer end, the lever arm being adjustable transversely of the shaft 6 to regulate the distance of the weighted end 14 of said lever arm from the axis of the shaft 6.

When the exercising device is swung forcibly 1933, Serial No. 693,972

forward and downward, with a movement similar to wood chopping, and suflicient energy is put into the swing, the inertia of the weight 14 on the end of the lever arm 13 will retain the lever arm in its normal position, as indicated in the drawing, and the stop lugs 9 engage the stops at one end of the slots 10. At the end of the forward and downward swing, when the movement of the exercising device is suddenly arrested, the inertia of the weight 14 will swing the lever arm 13 and rotate shaft 6 until the stop lugs 9 engage the opposite ends of the slots 10 and this partial rotation of the shaft, approximately 45, actuates the ratchet counter and it will thus indicate the number of strokes made with the device, provided the energy applied to each stroke is sufiicient to effect the movement of the weighted lever arm. By adjusting the lever arm 13 in its threaded bearing in the clamp 11, so that the weighted end 14 of the lever arm is moved nearer to or farther from the axisof the shaft 6, the force of the swing required to work the counter is increased or diminished, respectively. In order to properly calibrate the adjustment of the weighted end of the lever 14, a scale 15 is preferably provided, so that, when the shaft 6 is turned to move the lever arm 13 in substantial registry with the scale 15, the lever arm may be turned to bring the head 14 opposite the desired mark on the scale 15.

What I claim is:

1. An exercising device, comprising a helvelike member, means rotatably mounted on said member at a point remote from the grip portion thereof, said means including a lever arm extending transversely of the axis of rotation of the means and having a weighted end, said lever arm being adapted to have momentum imparted to it by said member and being rotatable of its own momentum when movement of the member is arrested.

2. A device as described in claim 1, in which the lever arm is adjustable to regulate the distance of the weight from the axis of said means.

3. An exercising device, comprising a helvelike member, a ratchet actuaited intergrating counter having an operating shaft and a stop for limiting the rotary movement of said shaft, and a lever arm having a weighted end mounted on and extending transversely of said shaft, said lever being adapted to have momentum imparted to it by said member and being rotatable of its own momentum when movement of the member is arrested.

4. A device as described in claim 3, in which the lever arm is adjustable to regulate the distance of the weight from the axis of the shaft.

5. An exercising device, comprising a helvelike member, a ratchet actuated integrating counter having an operating shaft and a stop for limiting the rotary movement of said shaft, a clamp fixed to the end of said shaft having a transverse threaded opening therein, and a threaded rod having a weighted end engaging said opening, said rod being adapted to have momentum imparted to it by said member and being rotatable of its own momentum when movement of the member is arrested. 

